Still Worth Fighting For
by Obiwan1527
Summary: What if Leonardo didn't fight the Shredder first on his vision quest? What if someone was already waiting for him on the bridge? Will Leonardo be able to fight this battle without anything holding him back? An alternate-scene to the episode Vision Quest. Can be taken as a friendship or romance, your choice.


"_Leonardo. You must be the leader in body and spirit. Be like the wind; let nothing weigh you down."_

That is what Master Splinter told him. That is what his father advised him. And that's exactly what Leonardo Hamato was going to do. He would never let down his sensei, his father. He never will.

Yet, Leonardo was slightly confused at the soul's words. Leo knew there were some things he lacked in when it came to leadership, but was there really something holding him back? Holding him back from becoming the leader that his brothers, friends, and sensei needed? If there was, then what?

Well, he found out as he journeyed far into the fog of a forest and on to the fog of a bridge.

* * *

Leonardo raised his bow as another round of Foot soldiers charged at him. The blue-masked turtle was amazed at how much the bridge could take, since it was standing as if there weren't more than 2 people on it. He suspected the bridge's ropes should have snapped by now, yet they stayed in place.

Seeing one Foot soldier beginning to jump, Leonardo released the string on his bow and watched the 3 bows soar straight into their chests. Blue smoke replaced the fallen figures.

That scene almost made the turtle forget about the two other soldiers trying to sneak up on him. _'Oh no you don't.'_ He thought quickly, and then ducked when one of the two robots launched themselves in attempt to tackle him. The other followed suit, but Leo took this chance to slam his bow into the robot and send him to the other side, alongside its friend.

Raising the bow once again, Leo fired two arrows at the robots shoulders. Just like with every soldier falling victim to the weapon, they disappeared in puffs of blue smoke.

Leo stood back up and waited a moment or two. He looked around and saw no one coming after him. He was rather disappointed. He needed more of a challenge.

"Is that it? Come on! Send in more! I can do this all day!" Leonardo shouted into the air, searching for his next opponent. Surely sensei was not talking about this when he said overcome what's holding you back. Only Foot soldiers? Please, he could take a thousand of them any day.

"Then that wouldn't be very fun, now would it?"

As soon as he heard that, the turtle twisted his body around, raised his bow, and aimed at his target, with an arrow already in place. Leo's instinct practically told him to shoot whatever being said that. He didn't care what it was; just let him shoot it so he can find a way to complete this quest.

However, he immediately regretted it, as he gazed at the figure who spoke those words.

"What's wrong, Leo?" The figure asked, who was leaning against the rope across from the bowturtle. Smirking at his wide-eyed face, she used her hands to push herself up and stepped into the clear part of the fog for the turtle to see. "You look like you're seeing ghosts."

"…Karai?"

The woman's smirked perked up when she heard him say her name in disbelief. "Nice costume. I'm liking the whole serious assassin look." She greeted coolly. (1)

"Karai, is it really you?" Leo asked, ignoring her attempt of a joke.

"Why wouldn't I be?" The raven-haired girl asked with her hands on her hips, her smirk never fading from her red lips.

Many questions ran through the bowturtle's head. All revolving around why Karai was here, how was she human, and so on and so on. Yet at the moment, Leo was speechless and felt paralyzed.

If he reached out to her, would she disappear too?

Leonardo reached out his hand slowly, almost hesitantly. She had never left his mind; ever since they left New York, even when he was in a comma. Her mutation haunted his dreams on rare nights, leaving him sweaty and out of breath in the morning. If he just followed her to Shredder's hideout, or tried to get her out of going, then she wouldn't have mutated. She would've been home with her real father, her friends, and with him. Why couldn't he have gotten there faster? Why couldn't he save her?

'_Wait!'_ Leo's thoughts were paused, along with his hand that was raised out towards the female ninja. _'Her mutation. Her disappearance. Karai…is my guilt. That's what's holding me back.'_

Leo looked back up at the girl before him. The happiness and relief he had at seeing her disappeared to sadness and disappointment. _'Face it, Leo. She isn't here, she's not real. It's just an illusion.'_ Taking a deep breath, he readied his bow again. _'It was never your fault.'_

"You're not real. The real Karai became mutated and back in New York." He blankly told her.

Karai's smirk faltered, but it didn't fade. It turned to a sad smile, along with a sigh. "You're always gullible, Leo, but never stupid. I guess that's what I always liked about you." She paused to chuckle. "You're right; I'm back in New York. Slithering around the streets looking for a good meal. Dodging the Krang and Shredder. Nothing new. I suggest staying away for a while."

"No, we're going to return to New York." He paused to hear a response, but nothing came out of her mouth. "We're going to help everyone, including you and sensei. You will see each other again. We'll see each other again and we will save you. I promise." He finished with the vow.

The vow seemed to hit her hard, for her smile faded all together and her hands fell from her hips. She stared at him for a while, saying absolutely nothing. He was about to take a shot but suddenly, Karai made her way towards him.

It was very nostalgic; her coming up to him, placing a hand on his shell. Was she going to repeat on what happened the day she left for Shredder's? Then again, she was just a spirit. She probably doesn't even know the memory.

His thoughts stopped when she gently pushed his bow to the side, gave him a tug forwards, and wrapped her armored-covered arms around his shoulders.

Part of his mind repeated to him that this wasn't real, yet his other part told him otherwise.

Leo couldn't decide which thought was right, but his actions spoke for him. He lowered his bow and used his free arm to wrap it around her waist.

'_This isn't real, but at the same time...I wish it was.'_ The male turtle sighed in his mind.

Maybe if he reassured this spirit, she'll disappear. Maybe he won't have to hurt her.

"Karai, the real you. If you can hear me, please hold on. Keep fighting. We're almost home, and we will save you." Leonardo vowed, his grip on her waist tightening as he spoke these words.

She didn't say anything for a while, she didn't even move. Her arms never moved from their embrace, and her head never left his chest. Leo needed to take action, but it was becoming difficult. Oh yeah, she was defiantly holding him back from this task.

To his dismay yet at the same time, luck, she raised her head and stopped it to the side of his head.

"You can't save me, Leo. No one can…"

_PUSH!_

Leonardo was sent flying across the bridge something whiplashed his chest. Time seemed to slow down for him, as he gazed at her with wide blue eyes.

For the kunoichi transformed into the white-scaled snake he sadly remembered.

Time was then back to normal when Leo's back made contact with the mountain's (which was at the end of the bridge) wall. Landing roughly on the ground, Leo glanced back up and panicked because the snake quickly slithered across the bridge. Using her body, Karai lifted herself up into the air and prepared to pounce on her victim.

Leo's mind went back into fighting mode and he pushed himself to the side of the ground to dodge the attack. It worked, as Karai's open mouths on her hands closed up when they made contact with the ground.

Raising the bow, Leo fired 3 arrows at his target. However, the sharp arrows only deflected off her tough skin, falling to the ground lamely. Karai made more attempts to lash at Leo, but he was able to dodge them (at last minute).

Leo knew he needed to think of a better plan. Obviously his arrows or his bow weren't going to stop her.

Looks like his katanas are gonna have to do the job. The thought made Leo's stomach tighten, to his dismay.

He placed the bow around his chest and brought out his two swords, raising them in defense.

Karai led out a screech, something like a battle cry, and then she launched her head-like hands towards him. Dodging once again, Leo made a few slash attempts. The snake was faster, and she used her tail to smack the turtle in the chest and send him back. This time, though, he planted his feet firmly on the ground and was only sent a few feet back.

He was starting to pant, hard, which wasn't good. He couldn't get tired now, his brothers are also fighting. He needs to end this, now.

Taking a deep breath, Leo closed his eyes and led out the air through his mouth. His eyes opened soon after, his eyes shining like an ocean going through a storm.

Sliding his foot to the left, Leo pushed himself off and came running straight towards his opponent.

Karai saw this coming and slithered forward, preparing to strike with her mouth.

Once they were in front of each other, Karai ducked her head to bite on the turtle. But Leo saw this, because he figured out her new fighting tactic. Attack head on, something the Karai he knows would never do.

He dodged the attack and made a circular motion with his arm, which held one of his katanas, and slashed through the snake's stomach.

"AAAAAGGGGHHH!"

The sound of her screaming and what he just did was almost too much for him to bear, but Leo finally understood that this isn't real. He finally did the job; he completed his vision quest.

He waited until he heard her body hit the ground to turn around. When he did, he saw, to his surprise, that she was still able to stand. Yet she was slowly sinking to the ground. As she did, Leo's mouth agape when he was now standing before the kunoichi, not the snake.

Karai was now on all of her fours, her head hanging in pain and shame. She would be in so much pain (Again, she was just a spirit), yet her scowl turned into a playful smile. The one she always threw at Leo when she was battling him or teasing him.

The raven haired woman turned her head to the victorious turtle, her eyes becoming brighter, even though she was at her end. "I knew you could do this." She told him with her smile. Leo said nothing, continuing to stare down at her with a serious frown.

As she spoke her last words, the woman disappeared in a puff of blue smoke, just like the Foot soldiers did. "Have fun with this one, Leo." Her voice said, fading out until she was gone completely.

"Wait! What do you mean by that?" He called out in confusion, but was too slow to get the answer.

The answer, however, came quick to him when he saw the deer guardian on the far right side of the mountain, at the entrance that leads upwards.

"You mean…that wasn't my quest?" He asked aloud, his eyes widening in disbelief. _'Karai wasn't holding me back? That can't be.'_

"Is my mind playing tricks? No, it can't…"

Leo looked back up at the spirit. It said nothing, as usual, but then it started to turn and walk towards the path that lead up the mountain.

"I guess I better follow." Leo sighed. He was tired from the previous fight, but he shook it off. If he completed his true task, he can get back to his brothers, back to April and Casey, back to New York, and back to Splinter and Karai. He will be able to save everyone.

Nodding to the spirits summon, Leo placed his katanas back in their cases and followed it.

Unknown to the turtle, his true vision quest stood high above the mountain, waiting for the battle that was about to commence.

"Prepare yourself, turtle." The armored-spirit said, an evil smirk hiding behind the mask.

* * *

_All I am going to say is that this is what I was waiting for throughout the whole episode. I truly believe that Karai was going to be the one fighting Leo. I yelled at the TV when she didn't show up as a spirit. Not that I hated the Splinter one, I loved it in fact. But hey, a girl can dream, can't she?_

_(1) So I'm hearing people think Leo looks like Assassin Creed now, hmm? XD_

_If I made Leo and Karai OOC, please forgive me. I'd like to hear some feedback from you guys how to improve them if I do future TMNT 2012 fanfics._

_I bid you all a good night!_


End file.
